


How A Road Trip Changed Everything

by Madthoughtsq



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: F/M, Family Drama, Gen, Redemption, Romance, Team as Family, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:40:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26616091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madthoughtsq/pseuds/Madthoughtsq
Summary: In 1994 when Damon asked his brother to hit the road with him instead of saying no Stefan says yes and together the Salvatore's leave Mystic Falls. Now seventeen years later Stefan calls his brother from their home town, desperate for help in protecting Elena Gilbert. Damon had no idea the events that would be awaiting for him when he returns home and he finally finds a reason to truly believe in humanity.But can Damon protect the woman he has come to care about without destroying his relationship with his brother while also protecting them both from the coming danger on his way to Mystic falls, Klaus the most powerful of all of the Originals vampires.
Relationships: Bonnie Bennett/Jeremy Gilbert, Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson, Elena Gilbert/Damon Salvatore, Katherine Pierce/Stefan Salvatore
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	1. Returning Home

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone, here is an AU that I have posting on Fanfiction.net but have decided to cross post it on this site as well, I hope anyone who hasn't read it enjoys the story.

Damon Point of View  
Mystic Falls, 2011  
It was late evening when Damon’s Camaro sped down the interstate blowing past the Welcome to Mystic Falls sign, his hands tightening around the wheel. He hadn’t set foot in his hometown since he and Stefan had hit the road seventeen years ago. He had returned at the request of his brother Stefan Salvatore after a desperate phone call received saying he needed Damon’s help. He had called two days ago and informed him that he had been residing in Mystic Falls for several months and had started a relationship with a human named Elena Gilbert but other than that his brother said he would explain later.

It hadn’t been until Stefan has asked for his help that he realised there was something seriously wrong. When he had told Stefan to cut the bullshit tell him what exactly is going on Stefan had revealed that Katherine had returned to town. Damon knew Katherine wasn’t dead and whilst he had been travelling with Stefan, he had revealed to him that Katherine wasn’t dead but was sealed away by a spell in the tomb. During the trip with his brother after he had revealed Katherine’s fate, he and Stefan had sat down with several bottles of bourbon. The ‘talk’ that took place that night would go down in Salvatore’s brother history went down in history as the most explosive and volatile fight between the brothers in their lives.

They had started talking about Katherine, but it had devolved into a brutal fight, verbal and physical blows had been exchanged and all the bad history between the brothers exploded in the span of a night. There had been stakes, blood and more than some harsh words exchanged between both but as the morning rose the two brothers; drunk, clothes torn and covered in each-others blood had collapsed onto the floor of what had once been the lounge room before they had started their conversation as they passed the bourbon between each other.

The outcome of the fight had three effects on Damon Salvatore; the first was that he and his brother had gotten back to where they had been before Katherine had come in and torn them apart. The second had been a personal discovery of his own, Stefan had been screaming at him at how Katherine never loved either of them when a bolt of realisation had struck Damon. 

Katherine had never loved him, he had tried to repress the memories but he remembered all the times Katherine left him for his brother, the times she had compelled him whenever he asked whether she loved him and on one occasion he had spotted her leaving Stefan’s room the morning after she had spent the night with the younger Salvatore. Katherine had never spent the night in Damon’s bed, once she had gotten what she wanted from Damon she would leave. The third and perhaps the biggest change in Damon was that for the first time in over fifty years his emotions had switched on.

Damon had admitted that he had made the wrong choice in loving Katherine and swearing an eternity of misery on his brother. He had apologised to his brother (something that was hard for Damon to do) and so had Stefan. They had spent the next year travelling together rekindling their brotherly bond until Damon one day had come to Stefan and told him that he was leaving. At first, Stefan had been upset that Damon was leaving but then Damon explained his reasoning behind it. 

For the first time in his life he wanted to try to find his place in the world; no father beating him into submission, no woman lying and manipulating him and perhaps the hardest thing to say to Stefan was no brother whose shadow he had lived his entire life in. 

Stefan had been upset but Damon had assured him he needed to find his place and he couldn’t do that with him…at least not right away. That didn’t change the fact he was his brother or how much he loved him he had just needed to find himself away from the ghosts of his past and come to grips with his newly awakened emotions.

That had been five years ago, he and Stefan had kept in touch often talking every week, but it had come as a shock when Stefan not only told him that Katherine was back in Mystic Falls, but his brother had fallen in love. He had to admit it had hurt when he heard the news; he had hoped that they become closer but not close enough to pass on that knowledge that his brother had found someone.

As Damon shifted the car down into a lower gear as the trees beside the road started to give way to houses and before Damon knew it, he was driving through the town square. Damon took in the buildings as he drove, not much had changed since he had last been here. Stopping at the red light, his phone started ringing from his pocket. Pulling it out he rolled his eyes when he saw his brother's name appearing on the screen for the tenth time in the last two hours.

“Brother so help me if you keep calling me, I will block your number” Damon snarled raising the phone to his ear. His brother simply laughed at his empty threat before continuing.

“How far away are you? And you haven’t spotted Katherine, have you?” Stefan’s voice asked causing Damon to roll his eyes. 

“No brother I haven’t spotted the wicked bitch of the west but thanks for worrying mom” Damon teased his brother as the light turned green.

“Alright, where are you?” Stefan asked as Damon started driving through the lights and continuing towards the Salvatore boarding house.

“Coming through the town square now Stefan I’ll be about ten minutes” Damon replied before he hung up abruptly on his brother. 

Stefan was used it by now and seeing as he was less than ten minutes away from the boarding house, he didn’t see the point in continuing that conversation. Before he knew it, Damon was pulling up to the boarding house. There were several cars already arrayed outside several SVU’s, a hybrid, Stefan’s classic red Porsche and perhaps most unusual of all was the Sheriff's car sitting beside the others. 

As he got out of the car he realised he couldn’t hear into the house, suddenly Damon could feel a surge of magic in the air and realised that a witch had placed a spell over the house (probably to stop Katherine from spying). As Damon opened the car and walked to his trunk the front door opened and his brother walked out to stand on the front porch. Damon collected his bag and looked up smiling at his brother who returned it with a look of relief at the sight of his big brother.

“Hello brother,” Damon said as he came to a spot placing his bag on the ground a neutral look on his face. 

“Damon” Stefan replied the same look in his eyes before both brothers grinned and pulled each other into a hug.

“You look, good brother,” Stefan said as they separated, Damon bends down to pick up his bag and started to follow his brother into the boarding house.

“You too and I have to be honest I do not miss the grunge look. It didn’t suit you” Damon replied smirking as he started to walk into the house.

“Damon wait…there’s something I have to tell you,” Stefan said grabbing his elbow and turning his brother back to face him. 

“What is it Stefan, I’m tired and want to get this little meet and greet with the local humans over and done with,” Damon asked turning back to Stefan who had a look that could only be described as uncomfortable.

“Elena’s inside…there’s something I need to tell you,” Stefan said unable to look his brother in the eye. 

Damon rolled his eyes and continued walking into the house, as he passed the threshold, he could hear a great many heartbeats coming from the sitting room. As he walked towards the room, he opened the door as Stefan caught up with his brother and turned him around again. 

“Wait Damon-“Stefan tried but failed as Damon walked into the room and came to a sudden halt, frozen in place. 

There were was an array of people situated around the room; there was an older looking blonde woman whom he recognised as Liz Forbes stood beside the fireplace who was in conversation with a young blonde vampire who smelled like a newborn. Sitting on one of the couches was an older couple who looked to be in their early thirties holding hands and sitting quite close together, these two he didn’t recognise. 

On the other couch opposite them was a young woman whom he recognised as Bennet Witch seated next to a young man around seventeen years old holding her hand. It was the brunette on the couch which had frozen him in place; if he hadn’t heard the heartbeat or smelled the fresh blood flowing through her veins he would have attacked. But it was more than that, as he looked into her eyes they truly gave her away, there was a warmth in her soft brown irises that he had never seen in Katherines. She looked exactly like the woman who had destroyed the brothers and suddenly Damon had understood why Stefan had never mentioned Elena Gilbert before. 

“Stefan…what the actual hell, you have serious explaining to do,” Damon said as he slowly turned to his brother with an incredulous look on his face disregarding the people in the room for the moment. 

“Look Damon now really isn’t the time…we have a situation and we need your help,” Stefan said to his brother but Damon was still standing gazing at Katherine's doppelganger. 

“What the hell is going on Stefan?” Damon asked truly confused for the first time. 

Katherine’s look-alike stepped forward and offered out her hand to him, smiling softly. 

“Hi I’m Elena Gilbert, its nice to meet you” she murmured to him, Damon arched his eyebrow at his brother (whom Elena was currently ignoring). 

“Damon Salvatore, but I’m sure you already know all about me I am after older hotter brother” Damon replied raising her hand to his lips and kissing her hand gently on the back causing her to blush and step back. 

“Stefan only mentioned he had a brother a couple of days ago” Elena murmured shooting Stefan a look that Damon recognised as the universal look that Stefan had screwed up. 

“Ouch…well I guess Stefan’s not one to brag” Damon murmured dropping his bag and walking into the room. 

He ignored everyone and went straight to the liquor car and poured himself a drink. Everyone was following him (particularly the young blonde and Elena), as he finished fixing himself a drink he came to stand beside Liz and smiled at her, the sheriff for her part simply looked confused. 

“Good to see you again Liz,” Damon said to her which just deepened her confusion even further. 

“We’ve met?” Liz asked confused as Damon laughed and looked at his brother. 

“Seriously Stefan if you’re going, to be honest with these people then be completely honest” Damon exclaimed at his brother before he turned back to Liz. 

“I was in town about seventeen years ago, we met but I compelled you to forget me…don’t worry I swear I only compelled you to forget me,” Damon said holding his hands up when Liz got an angry look on her face. The young blonde vampire shot up beside Liz and looked him over real quick before giving him a flirtatious smile. 

“Hi I’m Caroline Forbes,” she said holding out a perfectly manicured hand which Damon took. 

“Ahh the last time I saw you, you were a only a couple of years old, you’re mother was quite proud” Damon replied dropping her hand missing the pout that came over her face when she didn’t get a kiss on the back of her hands. 

“Bonnie Bennet” the young mocha-skinned woman sitting next to the young man who shared features with Elena. 

“Jeremy Gilbert,” he said when Damon's eyes moved over to him, Damon toasted him in greeting quite comfortable where he was. 

“I’m Alaric Saltzman and this is my girlfriend Jenna Sommers” the older couple on one of the sofas introducing themselves. 

“Good to meet you, now you want to tell me why I just drove fourteen hours and across the country Stefan?” Damon asked getting the feeling that he wouldn’t like what he was about to hear.

“Well, it started when Stefan arrived back in town” Elena spoke shifting Damon’s attention to him. 

Several hours later…  
(Essentially the events of season 1 and 2 up to episode 12 of have happened but there are differences which will be explained as the story goes on)

“So let me get this straight…the oldest vampire in history wants to sacrifice Elena because she is Petrova doppelganger to unlock his werewolf side. And that’s the latest problem, Katherine is also back and trying to offer her up on a platter…and the tomb it was opened…Stefan what the hell were you thinking?” Damon exclaimed at his brother who was trying to look everywhere but his older brother. 

“I don’t know what you mean” Stefan mumbled weakly trying to change the subject. 

“Why the hell didn’t you call me the second Anna got back to town, or hell when Katherine did?” Damon screamed at his little brother. 

“I was protecting you” Stefan tried to explain weakly which caused Elena to shake her head his disbelief. 

“I am 176 years old and your older brother I don’t need you protecting me” Damon exclaimed at his brother. 

“Goddamn Stefan lying to me isn’t protecting me…you should have told me Katherine was back” Damon yelled at his brother. 

“And what would you have done huh?” Stefan screamed back coming straight into his brothers face. Damon shoved him back, the pair forgetting they had a captive audience for the latest Salvatore drama. 

“I would have found a nice point stake and shoved it through the bitches heart like she deserves,” Damon said stepping straight up to his brother. 

The veins broke out across Stefan’s face making Damon realize his brother still had little self-control and was unable to control his instincts. Concerned for the humans in the house Damon grabbed Stefan and vamped him outside away from everyone else. Before Stefan had realized what had happened his brother had dragged him several miles into the forest surrounding the boarding house. 

“You need to cool it brother…what the hell is wrong with you when was the last time you fed?” Damon asked as his brother looked down guiltily. 

“A couple of days ago” Stefan replied causing Damon to rolled his eyes and shoved him in the direction to go deeper into the forest. 

“Go feed before you accidentally eat your girlfriend” Damon murmured as Stefan mumbled something out that even Damon with vampire hearing struggled to catch.

“Don’t mumble Stefan what was that?” Damon asked exasperated at his younger brother. 

“We’re on a break” Stefan mumbled as Damon rolled his eyes. 

“Go eat, I’ll go have a chat with the Scooby gang and get the info I need go fee,” Damon said pointing to the trees, Stefan looked like he would fight for a minute before he sighed and turned around walking into the forest.

“What the hell have I gotten myself into?” Damon asked the empty tree’s around him, the uneasy feeling growing in his chance that he seemed to get whenever he returned to this town. As he made his way back to the boarding house, he remembered how Mystic Falls had a way of changing his life and not always for the better.


	2. New Acquittances

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is another chapter, hope you all are liking it so far, once again her we go.

_Damon Point of View_

Damon slowly walked back up to the boarding housekeeping a careful ear out for any other creatures roaming the forest but other than he and his brother there was nothing more dangerous than Bambi running around. When the house came back into view Damon noted that the sheriff’s car and one of the two SVU’S were gone from the driveway. Damon walked up to the front door, his thoughts on his bed and a glass of bourbon when he walked through the door to come face to face with an angry witch, an armed vampire hunter with what looked like a stake launcher and a newborn vampire standing protectively in front of Elena and Jeremy.

“Don’t shoot” Damon said holding his hands up in mock surrender as started towards his trusty drink cart, the others in the room when they realised it was Damon relaxed their posture but not by much. Damon noted how they seemed to be most concerned about protecting Elena which made Damon believe there was a reason for that.

“I know I just got here but seriously you are acting like I’m about to bite your heads off,” Damon asked genuine curiosity colouring his voice. Bonnie, Caroline and Elena traded a look while Damon poured another bourbon for the history teacher and offered it up as a peace offering and after several moments Alaric lowered his weapon before he hesitantly took the offered drink.

“So again, someone wants to explain to me why you were expecting Katherine to walk through the door and rip Elena’s pretty little head off?” Damon questioned taking a seat and sighing deeply.

“Sorry Damon…but there was an incident a couple of months ago…Stefan was hurt, and Elena donated some blood to him and well…it didn’t end well” Caroline murmured wrapping an arm around Elena who looked down at the floor.

“Let me guess Stefan lost control and tried to kill Elena?” Damon asked looking directly at the girl in question who raised who eyes to him; there was fear in them but also a fire he could see smouldering just beneath the surface.

“Yeah, he did…I was giving him human blood trying to get him to adjust to it, but he lost control and…he nearly ripped my throat out” Elena murmured as her brother came to stand beside his sister.

“Ok…that was a bad idea, Stefan and human blood don’t mix well, but still why did expect me to come to attack her?” Damon asked as Elena and Bonnie looked at him in confusion.

“Well…we thought you might be hungry and not as in control, so we were just taking precautions” Bonnie murmured causing Damon to laugh at them causing them to be bewildered by his reaction.

“I lose control” Chuckles “oh I haven’t heard anything that funny in a while” Damon laughed shaking his head at them.

“Why is that funny?” Elena asked in confusion as Damon finally stopped laughing.

“We might be brothers, but I haven’t lost control while I was feeding in decades. Unlike my brother, I drink human blood regularly and have learnt control. So, trust me when I say that you don’t have to worry about me feeding on Elena…well not unless she wants it” Damon replied winking at Elena who blushed in reaction to his attention.

“Do you flirt with every girl you see?” Alaric asked a hint of amusement entering his voice. Suddenly an idea formed in his head, Damon sauntered up to Alaric and did the famous eye thing he had developed over the years.

“Not just the ladies Ric, you know if you ever want to experiment just let me know,” Damon said causing Ric to look uncomfortable whilst Elena laughed at the interaction, everyone bar Damon looked at Elena in shock while Damon just stood there confused once again by everyone's.

“Sorry…I haven’t laughed like that in a while but that was hilarious you should have seen your face” Elena giggled as Caroline and Bonnie joined in with her.

Damon found himself liking the sound of her laughter; it was different from Katherines and that’s when he realised, he had never heard Katherine genuinely laugh before. Before he realised what was happening Damon found himself smiling at her and taking in her smile…which seemed to send a surge of heat through him before he caught himself. _Whoa there that is not only your brother’s girl, but she looks exactly like your ex let’s not go down that road_ Damon thought to himself before he poured himself a drink and sat down. Bonnie looked down at the time before she stood up and hastily made her way towards the door.

“I’ve got to go; we have school in the morning” Bonnie murmured as she walked out the door followed by Jeremy who stopped and looked at his sister.

“You ok if I head out with Bonnie?” Jeremy asked Elena who looked at Damon for a moment as if weighing up a decision in her mind.

“I’ll be fine Jeremy, go” Elena murmured in reply, Jeremy nodded his head and caught up to Bonnie wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

“I have to head off too, you want a lift, Caroline?” Alaric asked the blonde who nodded her head in reply.

“I’ll see you tomorrow Elena” Caroline murmured to the teacher following him out the door leaving Damon on the couch and Elena standing awkwardly by the fireplace.

“You can have a seat you know” Damon murmured after a few moments of silence causing Elena to look up and smile at him before taking a seat on the other end of the couch. Damon could feel her eyes on him for a few moments before he turned and looked at her, his blue capturing her brown orbs in a piercing stare.

“See something you like?” Damon flirted shamelessly causing Elena to smile at him and shake her head.

“Do you have an off switch?” Elena asked in disbelief as Damon wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.

“I don’t know, want to help see if we can find it?” Damon continued to flirt causing Elena to let out a laugh causing Damon to smile in response. Damon got up and poured himself a drink before pouring a second walking over to the couch once again offering the drink to Elena.

“I don’t usually drink” Elena murmured starting at for a moment before she accepted it and took a small sip grimacing at the taste.

They sat in silence for a few moments before Damon looked over at the young woman and took in her features fully. At first glance, she was identical to Katherine but as he looked closer he noted the flush to her skin from her beating heart and a slight difference in scent committing them to memory; knowing Katherine she would try to mess with him by pretending to be Elena.

“You’re not what I was expecting” Elena murmured after a few moments causing Damon to smile at her as she looked at him again.

“What, you expected me to like my brother. All broody and serious all the time?” Damon asked causing Elena to smile and shake her head.

“You know you give your brother some crap, but I can tell you care about him” Elena murmured causing Damon to snort and start to prep himself a third drink.

“You just met me, what makes you say that?” Damon asked defensively not liking how this girl seemed to be able to get a read on him so fast.

“You don’t seem to me to be the type of guy who drives across the country for just anyone and I can hear it in your voice when you talk about him” Elena replied with a fair amount of confidence; the thing was her words were right on the mark and they made Damon…uncomfortable.

“So, what are you still doing here, don’t you have school as well?” Damon asked trying to change the subject not liking how well this girl seemed to know him so well.

“I’m waiting for Stefan…he wanted to talk” Elena answered looking into the fire to hide the fear in her eyes.

“He’s not going to be back for a couple of hours you should get home, come on I’ll give you lift home” Damon murmured to her Elena who sighed after a moment before standing up and following him out the door.

“Nice car” Elena murmured as they walked out the door causing Damon to smile and speed ahead of her causing her to gasp as he opened the door with a flourish.

“Milady your carriage awaits,” Damon said bowing to her not understanding where this playful side was coming from. _Shouldn’t have had three bourbons so fast_ he thought himself as Elena walked to the car mock curtsying before sitting in the car.

“Why to thank you kind sir” Elena replied from her seat in the car as Damon laughed, shutting the door and speeding over his side appearing in the driver’s seat before Elena had even finished buckling her seat.

“Ok, you have got to stop doing that” Elena gasped as Damon simply laughed at her before starting the car and pulling out of the boarding house driveway.

“You date a vampire, I thought you would be used to it?” Damon asked as Elena shook her in heard.

“Dated a vampire…after what happened I’m not sure if we can go back to the way we were” Elena replied before continuing “And Stefan never really used his super-speed around him.”

“Ahhh Stefan still pretending to be a human” Damon murmured to himself as Elena started to direct him towards her house. They chatted about small things, Damon mostly asking the questions and dodging when Elena asked him the same ones.

“You know it wouldn’t kill you to answer a question” Elena murmured in frustration to Damon as they pulled up at her house.

“Ok you answer a question and I’ll face the Spanish inquisition tomorrow deal?” Damon asked her as he switched off the engine and turned to face Elena who simply nodded her head in agreement.

“If you’re so scared of Stefan why did you stay with me to wait for him?” Damon murmured causing Elena to look away for a moment before she looked back at him.

“I have a feeling you wouldn’t hurt me…am I wrong?” Elena murmured looking at Damon who looked away from her eyes.

“You’re too trusting” Damon replied getting out of the car and walking around opening the car door hers for her, Elena simply rolled her eyes and walked up the front steps Damon following close behind her.

“You want to come in?” Elena asked as she gathers her keys from her bag and looking up at Damon who was in shock at the question.

“You do realise that you’re inviting a vampire into your home…that’s not a smart thing to do” Damon murmured as she opened the door and looked at him for a moment.

“Well, what happens if Katherine comes and you need to get in?” Elena shot back causing Damon to think for a moment seeing the logic in her thoughts.

“Not tonight Elena another time” Damon murmured not liking the feelings this girl was stirring in him after a single meeting, Elena smiled at him softly for a few moments.

“Well you’re welcome to come in Damon, I’ll see you tomorrow” Elena murmured walking into the house leaving Damon standing there in shock at the trust that human had just placed in him.

**Mystic Grill, _Mystic Falls,_ Virginia**

_Damon Point of View_

It had been two days since Damon had arrived in Mystic Falls and he still hadn’t caught sight of Katherine, and as Damon sat the bar of the local restaurant that had a glaringly lack of good whiskey Damon caught the scent of Jasmine on the air and before he knew what he was doing he turned and caught sight of Elena entering the Grill with Bonnie and Caroline beside her. _Crap_ Damon thought to himself, he had been dodging her since he had dropped her off here at the house two days ago.

For some reason she wanted Damon to answer some questions, at first, he thought it was because she wanted a better understanding of vampire’s and the supernatural but he realised she was more interested in asking Damon personal questions about his life and Stefan’s as well. Sighing Damon threw back the rest of the drink and slammed it down on the bar before turning around and coming face to face with the human he had been trying to evade.

“Damon, fancy seeing you here” Elena spoke raising an eyebrow at Damon “Going somewhere?”

“Yeah, Stefan needs some help with something back at the boarding house” Damon replied trying to step by her, Elena simply mimicked his movements blocking his quick idea of an exit.

“You know you still owe me some answers, and Stefan is at a council meeting for the next two hours” Elena replied raising an eyebrow at him causing Damon to sigh.

“Look don’t take this the wrong way but I’m here to protect you not make friends” Damon murmured looking down at her hoping she would get the hint but she simply smiled at him and Damon at the sinking feeling that she would only take his words as a challenge.

“Making friends isn’t such a bad thing you know” Elena murmured leaning on the bar and ordering a drink for herself and her friends before she turned back to him.

“I don’t do friends” Damon replied on reflex; it was true in a way; he had several vampires friends, but he never made long-lasting relationships with humans. He never saw the point, there lives (and his human one as well) are violent, brutish and short.

“Well we are changing that come on, you’re coming with me” Elena murmured grabbing his arm and starting to drag him towards the table where her friends sat near the pool table.

As he approached, he noticed that both Bonnie and Caroline had their eyebrows raised at Damon coming to the table. Shaking his head, he gently extricated himself and starting to follow her.

“Hey gals, look who I was able to drag over” Elena murmured sitting down with her friends as Damon sat down as well, this caused Caroline to laugh and Bonnie to smirk at him.

“Yeah well, something tells me you can be stubborn when you want to be” Damon replied causing Elena to splutter in outrage and her friends to simply laugh at the comment.

“You’re not far off there Damon” Caroline replied smiling at Elena as she teased her.

“So, Damon, do you mind answering those questions you said you would before you disappeared?” Elena asked looking at Damon pointedly steering the subject in a direction she wanted.

“Pretty direct, aren’t you?” Damon questioned admiring her spirit, she wasn’t going to be dissuaded from her goal.

“Well with your brother it like pulling teeth, he never told me the truth unless he had to. He didn’t even tell me he had a brother until he called you” Elena spoke growing angrier with every word.

“I’m sensing some frustration from the group regarding my brother” Damon replied looking around the table and seeing looks of agreement.

“Look I’m not Stefan if you ask me something I will answer truthfully. But I can choose not to answer if I want to” Damon answered Elena who looked at him with those piercing brown eyes as if weighing up whether to trust him.

“Fair enough” Elena murmured as their drinks were delivered, Damon grabbed the waitress’s hand and started to compel her.

“You will bring us a bottle of bourbon and glasses, you won’t check for ID and you won’t say anything about serving these three girls” Damon hypnotically said to her, she repeated it and went back to the bar as Damon smiled and looked at the table.

Bonnie and Elena had subtle looks of displeasure on their faces however Caroline had a look of curiosity and intrigue. He figured the baby vamp would have some questions for him; all she’s had is his brother as a role model and he’s not the most…stable vampire.

“Stop with the judgy eyes, if we’re gonna talk I’m going to need bourbon and I don’t want to drink alone. Unless you want Blondies mum to bust you guys for drinking” Damon replied as Caroline rolled her eyes at him when he called her blondie.

“You can do that so well; Stefan can barely compel a person and you do it as if its second nature” Elena spoke after a moment causing Damon to laugh.

“My brother's diet negates the finer aspects of vampire life. I am much stronger than him” Damon replied in response to her unanswered question.

“Do you reckon you could teach me that?” Caroline asked making Bonnie and Elena shoot her confused looks.

“Look blondie if you want I can give you some pointers, but don’t think I’m some sort of vampire sensei…that’s my brother's thing” Damon replied as the waitress came back and deposited the bourbon and glasses at their table.

As Damon poured a drink for everyone, he noticed that Elena seemed to be reluctant to drink. Blondie shot hers down with no problem and Bonnie drank a little, but Elena still hadn’t touched her’s from where he placed it before her.

“Come on Elena, take five minutes out of your life. The problems will still be there in the morning, it won’t kill you to have some fun. Unless you’re afraid to drink with the big bad vampire” Damon spoke slightly challenging her as she raised her eyebrows at him before swigging the drink back in one gulp.

“There we go” Damon spoke smiling at the group and pouring another drink.

“I used to be more fun” Elena replied smiling at him as she took the glass, he was offering her.

“To five minutes” Damon spoke holding up his glass and clinking with the girls.

Over the next several hours Damon found himself having more fun than he’d had in years. Elena was a riot and her friends smiling the whole way through the night. The drinks kept flowing and they decided to play some pull, Damon was impressed by Elena’s ability to play pool and the fact that she was laughing his jokes. His brother never liked his sense of humour and whilst Bonnie and Caroline laughed, Elena’s was different. And he found himself smiling whenever he was able to get that infectious sound to erupt from her mouth. As the night wore on Caroline and Bonnie drifted home; they both offered to give Elena a lift, but she shook her head and said that she would find her way home. After reassuring both that he would get her home safely they both departed leaving Damon and Elena alone.

Throughout the night Elena continued to ask him questions…but for the first time, they were about him. Sure, she asked questions about Stefan, but she also asked what his life was like. Where he had lived, what his favourite bands were, his favourite colour, his favourite decade. He thought she would inquire about Stefan whenever he came up in one of the stories, but she never pursued it, instead, she seemed content to simply listen to his stories. The bartender had just called final call and Elena had finished the shot glass she was challenging Damon with when her shaking around next to him and throwing it in his face that she had finished first made him splutter and a little bit of bourbon to dribble out of his mouth.

“Aww, Damon do you need a bib?” Elena teased still having her hands raised above her in victory causing Damon to laugh at her.

“I’m sorry we can’t all unhinge our jaws to drink alcohol like a snake” Damon teased back as she wrapped an arm around his and leaned her head down.

“Come on you have to get me home and to bed” Elena spoke starting to walk and pull him up from the chair at the same time.

“Oh Elena, I know you find me irresistible, but I will not go to bed with you on the first date” Damon replied as she spluttered at him before she realised, he was teasing her.

“You wish Salvatore” she shot back as they walked out of the grill and into the chilly air.

They stood next to each other for a few moments before Elena smiled at him and started to walk towards her house with Damon falling into step beside her. They walked in comfortable silence, Damon had to steady Elena several times when she stumbled, she sent him several grateful smiles when he did this. Once they reached her house Damon followed her up the steps, he was reaching out with his sense trying to see if there any other vampires in the area while Elena unlocked the door. After she did, she turned and faced him giving him a soft smile while she leaned against the door frame.

“Thanks for tonight Damon, I had a lot of fun” Elena spoke smiling at him as he chuckled in response.

“You’re not the worst company in the world Elena” Damon replied smiling at her, and for the next few moments, they simply stared at each other, each lost in their thoughts.

“Goodnight Elena” Damon spoke after several minutes before turning down and walking down the porch stairs.

He stopped once when he heard the door close and then as he went to continue his walk home, he stopped again. He wasn’t sure why, but he found himself filled with worry and concern; what if Katherine came for Elena while she was asleep. Sighing to himself he walked back to her house, using the shadows and avoiding the streetlamps with ease and then settled himself beneath the tree he found sat outside Elena’s bedroom window.

It was still on and Damon could hear the scratching of pen on paper from inside the room, he closed his eyes and slowly focused on the heartbeat coming from the room. As he sat down, he realised that he wasn’t going to be going anywhere tonight and for the life of him he couldn’t understand the sudden need to make sure Elena slept safely. If his brother or anyone asked he would simply say he didn’t want Stefan’s brooding annoying him for the rest of eternity, but deep down at had something more to do with the human girl currently turning out her light and settling in for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you think, this story is a big AU and the changes will be explained as the story goes on.

**Author's Note:**

> Well what did everyone think, let me know thanks for reading and till next time...


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